Chap. 708.—An ACT to provide for the better enforcement and collection of
the tax now imposed by law upon shares of stock in corporations and joint
stock companies by requiring sworn lists of the stockholders of said cor-
porations or companies resident in this state to be filed with the auditor
of public accounts, and to direct the disposition of said lists, and to prescribe
penalties for the failure or refusal to file said lists or the furnishing of a
false list. i

Approved March 3, 1900.
1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That every

‘corporation or joint stock company chartered by this state, and every
uch corporation or company doing business in this state, whether char-
tered under the laws of this state or under the laws of another jurisdic-
tion, shall annually, on or before the first day of March of each year,
furnish to the auditor of public accounts, a list of the persons holding
stock of said company or corporation, resident in Virginia on February
first of that year, showing the number of shares held by each stockholder,
the par value of each share of stock, and the residence in this state ot
each stockholder. Said list shall bear the official seal of the corpora-
tion, and shall be verified by oath of the president or other chief officer
of said corporation or company. Any person who shall wilfully swear
falsely to such list shall be deemed guilty of perjury.

2. The auditor shall, as soon as practicable, after the receipt of each
of said lists, furnish to each commissioner of the revenue, a copy of so
much of said list as pertains to residents of his district.

3. The said auditor and commissioners of the revenue shall keep
secure from public observation the said lists and shall not communicate
to any person any information therein contained, except that they may
submit said information to the attorney-general or other proper law
officer of the commonwealth, and they may testify as to the information
contained in said lists, in any proceeding at law or in equity, affecting
the right of the commonwealth to subject to taxation the shares of stock
or any part thereof in said list specified, in the name of the holder
therein set out.

4. Any officer of the commonwealth who shall wilfully divulge or
suffer to become public any information contained in said lists, except as
herein provided, shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than five hun-
dred dollars for each offense.

5. Any corporation or company which shall fail or refuse to furnish to
the auditor the lists hereby required, or shall wilfully furnish a false list,
shall be subject to a fine of not less than one hundred nor more than one
thousand dollars, and shall also be liable to pay to the state of Virginia,
and to any county or corporation thereof, any state or municipal tax
payable by law upon the shares of stock of said corporation or company,
held by any person resident in Virginia, which the said stockholder has
failed to list for taxation as provided by law.

Each month during which said failure or refusal to furnish said list
shall continue, shall be deemed a separate offense.

6. Any fine or penalty incurred by any corporation or company under
this act may be recovered by motion after fifteen days’ notice in the
circuit court of the city of Richmond, made by the attorney-general in
the name of the commonwealth. Such notice shall be served as other
notices are served upon corporations under the general laws of this state.

%. The auditor shall determine the fair market value as of February
first of the stock of each corporation or company hereinbefore referred
to, and communicate the same to the several commissioners of the
revenue, as a basis for the assessment of said stock for taxation. But
any stockholder deeming the value as fixed by the auditor to be incorrect,
may apply to the county or corporation court of his county or corporation
to have the proper value thereof ascertained. The proceedings on such
application shall conform to those prescribed by law for correction of
erroneous assessments of property for taxation.

8. This act shall not apply to any company or corporation whose stuck
is not taxable in the hands of the stockholder.